Wesley1982 wrote:Can I get the exact meaning of the word 'dukkha' translated into English? thanks.

Since this is in the Academic Discussion forum, I'll start by paraphrasing a famous line:

"Meaning is not in words, but in sentences."

In other words, there is no such thing as an "exact meaning" of some word in another language, especially when it is given without any context. Similar to your earlier question about the meaning of the word "dharma".

Otherwise, there is a range from "pain", "suffering", "dissatisfaction", "discontent", "stress", etc. No "exact meaning" without a given context.

I. Main Points in the Use of the Word. -- The recognition of the fact of Dukkha stands out as essential in early Buddhism. In the very first discourse the four socalled Truths or Facts (see saccāni) deal chiefly with dukkha. The first of the four gives certain universally recognised cases of it, & then sums them up in short. The five groups (of physical & mental qualities which make an individual) are accompanied by ill so far as those groups are fraught with āsavas and grasping. (Pañc' upādānakkhandhā pi dukkhā; cp. S iii.47). The second Sacca gives the cause of this dukkha (see Taṇhā). The third enjoins the removal of this taṇhā. And the fourth shows the way, or method, of doing so (see Magga). These ariyasaccāni are found in two places in the older books Vin i.10=S v.421 (with addition of soka -- parideva . . . etc. [see below] in some MSS). Comments on this passage, or part of it, occur S iii.158, 159; with expln of each term (+soka) D i.189; iii.136, 277; M i.185; A i.107; Sn p. 140; Nd2 under sankhārā; It 17 (with dukkhassa atikkama for nirodha), 104, 105; Ps i.37; ii.204, 147; Pug 15, 68; Vbh 328; Nett 72, 73. It is referred to as dukkha, samudaya, nirodha, magga at Vin i.16, 18, 19; D iii.227; Nd2 304iib; as āsavānaŋ khaya -- ñāṇa at D i.83; Vin iii.5; as sacca No. 1+paṭiccasamuppāda at A i.176 sq. (+soka˚); in a slightly diff. version of No. 1 (leaving out appiyehi & piyehi, having soka˚ instead) at D ii.305; and in the formula catunnaŋ ariyasaccānaŋ ananubodhā etc. at D ii.90=Vin i.230.

II. Characterisation in Detail.-- 1. A further specification of the 3rd of the Noble Truths is given in the Paṭicca -- samuppāda (q.v.), which analyses the links & stages of the causal chain in their interdependence as building up (anabolic=samudaya) &, after their recognition as causes, breaking down (katabolic=nirodha) the dukkha -- synthesis, & thus constitutes the Metabolism of kamma; discussed e. g. at Vin 1; D ii.32 sq. =S ii.2 sq.; S ii.17, 20, 65= Nd2 680i.c; S iii.14; M i.266 sq.; ii.38; A i.177; mentioned e. g. at A i.147; M i.192 sq., 460; It 89 (=dukkhassa antakiriyā). <-> 2. Dukkha as one of the 3 qualifications of the sankhārā (q. v.), viz. anicca, d., anattā, evanescence, ill, nonsoul: S i.188; ii.53 (yad aniccaŋ taŋ dukkhaŋ); iii.112 (id.) iii.67, 180, 222; iv.28, 48, 129 sq.; 131 sq. -- rūpe anicc' ânupassī (etc. with dukkh' & anatt') S iii.41. anicca -- saññā, dukkha˚ etc. D iii.243; A iii.334, cp. iv.52 sq. -- sabbe sankhārā aniccā etc. Nd2 under sankhārā. -- 3. Specification of Dukkha. The Niddesa gives a characteristic description of all that comes under the term dukkha. It employs one stereotyped explanation (therefore old & founded on scholastic authority) (Nd2 304i.), & one expln (304iii.) peculiar to itself & only applied to Sn 36. The latter defines & illustrates dukkha exclusively as suffering & torment incurred by a person as punishment, inflicted on him either by the king or (after death) by the guardians of purgatory (niraya -- pālā; see detail under niraya, & cp. below III. 2 b). -- The first expln (304i.) is similar in kind to the definition of d. as long afterwards given in the Sānkhya system (see Sānkhya -- kārikā -- bhāṣya of Gauḍapāda to stanza 1) & classifies the various kinds of dukkha in the foll. groups: (a) all suffering caused by the fact of being born, & being through one's kamma tied to the consequent states of transmigration; to this is loosely attached the 3 fold division of d. as dukkha˚, sankhāra˚, vipariṇāma˚ (see below III. 1 c); -- (b) illnesses & all bodily states of suffering (cp. ādhyātmikaŋ dukkhaŋ of Sānkhya k.); -- (c) pain & (bodily) discomfort through outward circumstances, as extreme climates, want of food, gnat -- bites etc. (cp. ādhibhautikaŋ & ādhidaivikaŋ d. of Sk.); -- (d) (Mental) distress & painful states caused by the death of one's beloved or other misfortunes to friends or personal belongings (cp. domanassa). -- This list is concluded by a scholastic characterisation of these var. states as conditioned by kamma, implicitly due to the afflicted person not having found his "refuge," i. e. salvation from these states in the 8 fold Path (see above B I.).